Arrowsmith
Vocabulary

17 uses

Martin, in ... his distaste for the amiable dullness of Irving Watters, turned to the roaring Clif as to something living and experimenting.

amiable = friendly and kindly

4 uses

he could not forget the cool ascetic hours in the laboratory

ascetic = relating to self-denial (of comfort and luxury)

1 use

32 uses

you may have hit on the supreme way to kill pathogenic bacteria.

bacteria = microorganisms (living creatures so small it takes a microscope to see them)

(editor's note:  Something that is pathogenic causes disease.)

8 uses

There was at the time, in certain places, a doubt as to how benevolent the United States had been to its Little Brothers—Mexico, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua—and the editors and politicians were grateful to Martin for this proof of their sacrifice and tender watchfulness.

benevolent = kind or generous

21 uses

Martin hastened to Terry, declaring that he would resign—would denounce— would expose— Yes!

denounce = accuse publicly

1 use

He had in three years of practice already become didactic and incredibly married; he had put on weight and infallibility; and he had learned many new things about which to be dull.

didactic = excessively inclined to instruct

1 use

He could recall nothing save the philosophy of Max Gottlieb, occasional scoldings of Angus Duer, one out of ten among Madeline Fox's digressions, and the councils of Dad Silva which was above the level of Alec Ingleblad's barber-shop.

digressions = verbal wanderings (in various directions)

5 uses

They ignored traffic regulations, they disdained the people, returning from theaters and movies, who dotted the streets which unrolled before the flying gray hood.

disdained = treated as inferior

5 uses

You always want to make folks think you're eccentric, Mart.

eccentric = unconventional or strange

6 uses

they liked her, the more because she was a heretic whose vices, her smoking, her indolence, her relish of competent profanity, disturbed Mrs. Pickerbaugh and Mrs. Irving Watters.

indolence = laziness

1 use

3 uses

a philanthropist who was generous only because it larded his vanity.

philanthropist = someone who helps others

(editor's note:  larded is a synonym for embellished or adorned)

9 uses

I am a pious agnostic.

pious = behaving in a highly moral or religious manner

(editor's note:  an agnostic is someone who says they do not know if God exists or not)

11 uses

He had stopped his pretense of working; he was standing before her, arms akimbo, dark eyes demanding.

pretense = an appearance or action to help one pretend

10 uses

Clif had risen, not too steadily, though his voice and his eyes were resolute.

resolute = firm in purpose or belief

4 uses

But she was flustered by Angus's sleek assurance, by his homage to her eyes and wit and reticence.

reticence = reluctance

5 uses

I owe my city the most scrupulous performance of duty in safeguarding it against disease

scrupulous = careful and diligent

2 uses

In the study of the profession to which he had looked forward all his life he found irritation and vacuity as well as...

vacuity = lack of intelligent thought

6 uses

His friendly zeal was drab compared with that of his wife.

zeal = active interest and enthusiasm